Research the responsibility of a critical thinker in a contemporary society. You may choose any topic that deals with a contemporary social concern. Examine the principles of critical thought in relation to the chosen societal concern, and consider the importance of ethics, moral reasoning, a research-based process to search for truth, and the advantages of information technology in gathering data.

Potential social concerns include, but are not limited to health (e.g., obesity, smoking, or underage drinking), poverty (e.g., homelessness, basic needs, or transportation issues), family relations and dynamics (e.g., teen violence, physical abuse, depression, or suicide), social media (e.g., privacy), immigration (e.g., illegal), and education (e.g., plagiarism and/or cheating).

Your Final Research Paper should:
1.Include a literature review of three scholarly sources based on the selected contemporary issue. Analyze the validity of the author’s arguments and/or biases.
2.Explain how academic knowledge impacts the social elements and institutions of both local and global communities.
3.Assess how the principles of active citizenship could impact the contemporary issue during the next five to ten years.
4.Include at least one reference to a multimedia component (i.e., podcast, interactive website, blog, or video) and evaluate the relevance of this piece in relationship to academic knowledge and the selected issue.
The paper must be 12 to 14 pages in length (excluding the title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style. You must use at least 12 scholarly sources, six of which can be found in the Ashford Online Library. Cite your sources within the text of your paper and on the reference page. For information regarding APA, including samples and tutorials, visit the Ashford Writing Center within the Learning Resources tab on the left navigation toolbar.

Writing the Final Research Paper
The Final Research Paper:
1.Must be 12 to 14 double-spaced pages in length, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
2.Must include a title page with the following: ?Title of paper
?Student’s name
?Course name and number
?Instructor’s name
?Date submitted

3.Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
4.Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
5.Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
6.Must use at least 12 scholarly sources, including a minimum of six from the Ashford Online Library.
7.Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
8.Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

please read this discussion and base my topic and thesis statement from here:
My final research topic will be on Depression as relates to our veterans. And I choose this topic because it is what I deal with everyday doing my job. Plus I have very close ties to it because of close family member that suffers from it and they are also veterans. And I really find it to be one of the main issues that our veterans deal with from that stand point of getting diagnosed quickly. And although there is a lot of research on depression, we sometime forget to identify how it correlates to veterans after they return from military duty. I also choose this topic because academically it will be a big part of my future in mental health counseling. So the more I learn about it the better versed I will be when I have to deal with in my career field. The things that I have learned so far since I have been Attending Ashford University have also been very helpful. My Thesis: Statement: Depression is one of the number one mental health diagnoses for all Americans, so why don’t veterans seek medical attention after their military service. One of the things that I find to be very interesting about the treatment of depression is the medication and therapy. One of the things that I have found to be frustrating is all the different types of medication they use to manage depression and how long the process is find the one that might work best to manage it.